Stories set to hip-hop beats
Stories set to hip-hop beats
Oral tradition central to Will Power's'Flow'at Summer Fest
BY ROGER LELIEVRE
Actor, rapper and spoken-word artist Will Power is going with the “Flow.”
He’ll present his one-man show of that name - Tuesday night at Power Center as part of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.
An up-and-coming star in the growing world of hip-hop theater, Power weaves stories and themes from his own urban background, then sets them to hip-hop beats. In “Flow,” Power plays seven sharply-drawn characters - among them a homeless man, a school teacher, a health-food store clerk, an American Indian, a dance instructor and a teenage girl. Their stories are rapped by Power, who portrays the plight of his characters through images conjured with rhythm, rhyme and physical movement. As the stories unfold, small yet significant life lessons are imparted. The stories are underscored by original melodies and beats provided by DJ Reborn.
Power, who took a break from his work in New York City recently to munch on a vegan brownie and talk to The News via cell phone, said “Flow” is all about the oral tradition and the importance of passing down stories from one generation to the next.
“The stories hold all the secrets of the neighborhood, all the wisdom and the knowledge. It’s a greater metaphor for how stories are an important tool as the conveyors of knowledge and information.
“I feel like every culture - whether it’s folks in Ireland or Afghanistan or China or Detroit or Ann Arbor - has an oral tradition in which stories were passed on. It’s basically reconnecting to that ancient power, but doing it within the style of hip-hop,” he explained.
Audiences don’t have to be urban, or even fans of hip-hop, to appreciate “Flow," Power added.
“One of the things I feel blessed with is that a lot times young people will come to my show and say ‘I’m not really into theater but I can relate to this because it’s hip-hop.’ And then a lot of older people, not from urban areas, will come and say ‘I usually don’t like hip-hop but I love this. It’s positive. I understand what you’re saying and it’s theater. I can follow the story.'
"Usually at my show there's a multigenerational, multiethnic thing going on. ... I don't think that happens often enough in society."
He said he was deeply influenced by the stories he heard told by his father, grandfather and the denizens of the Fillmore area of San Francisco, where he grew up. "There was a lot of culture there, and I just soaked it up," he recalled.
"Definitely a lot of the characters (in 'Flow') are based on people I knew of a combination of folks I knew growing up."
"Flow" originally opened to rave reviews in June 2003 as part of a six-week off-Broadway run in New York City, followed by a five-week extension in the fall. Selecting it as a 2003 Top 10 Theater listing, The New York Times described it as "theater with the refreshing aroma of originality."
Most recently, Power received the 2004 Jury Award for Best Theatre Performance at the HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, a 2004 Drama Desk nomination for Best Solo Performance and a 2004 Drama League nomination for Distinguished Performance. Power's talents have also been captured on television and film as a featured performer on "Last Call with Carson Daly" and "Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam" on HBO. His lyrics and music have been heard on MTV, UPN's "Moesha" and NBC's "Kingpin."
His work "the Gathering: a hip-hop theater journey to the meeting places of Black men," is considered by many to be one of the first hip-hop theater pieces ever created.
DJ Reborn has been spinning music for over a decade, blending soul, hip-hop, reggae, house and Afro-beat. She not only spins at clubs and parties, but also at museums and live shows.
"She's the orchestra - she's propelling me and moving the show forward," Power said.
In conjunction with his performance of "Flow," Power will lead the spoken-word workshop "Storytelling in a Community Context" from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday at the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. Designed for teens and adults, the activity is free and open to the public - call the library at (734) 327-4560 to pre-register. The workshop is limited to 15 participants.
He said he believed that carrying the show's message to teens is especially important.
"I try to tell the stories in a humorous, engaging way so it doesn't come down as preaching. Hopefully people will get the message in a way that it moves them as opposed to just being told 'don't do drugs.'
"Hopefully you will be laughing or you'll be digging it, but you will get the message and be moved by in your heart."
Due to some strong language, "Flow" is recommended for ages 13 and over.
Roger LeLievre can be reached at (734) 994-6848 or by e-mail at rlelievre@annarbornews.com.
PREVIEW
Will Power in'Flow'
Who: Award-winning actor, rapper and spoken-word artist.
'What: One-man show of Hip-hop theater. Due 16 strong language, the show is recommended for ages 13 and over.
Where: Power Center, 121 Fletcher St.
When: 8 p.m.Tuesday.
How much: $ 10-$32. Information: (734) 764-2538 or annarborsummerfestival.org